As an airBnb and with the liability to others' safety, I think you need to rip that thing out. The problem is that I don't think another spiral staircase will fit and meet present day building code.

If you have room, I'd first look at a ships ladder. These bloggers put one in their house to a loft a few years ago. They are architects in Seattle, so I assume it's totally code compliant. http://chezerbey.com/2011/01/09/the-loft-ladder/

Where is it going, do you use the space? For now it might be better to close it off and eliminate it. It looks very problematic at this point.

Funny I just commented on this on your other post. Get rid of it. What is upstairs?

Not gonna fly to provide such a dangerous environment. You’ll have to rebuild half the space and bring it up to modern codes.

You’ve got 75K-100K of work on your plate here if you are going to try to transform this cabin. Most of the charm of the building is that it’s such a retro space. Think long and hard about remuddling this, and the huge liability of renting space that is so unsafe, in multiple ways.

It’s one thing to expose your family to those stairs and a range right at a walkway. It’s quite another to bring lawsuit happy strangers into the space. Pick one or the other purpose, and pick all vintage retro, or very expensively and safely updated.

That is funny, because I thought it looked like a giant cat toy in your other post about the fireplace. :)

I would want to enclose the lower portion on the living room/kitchen side and add railing/balusters. I believe if you actually modify the structure, you're stuck with having to make it all meet current code.

Great thoughts and feedback everyone... thank you! Upstairs are two small loft spaces that could be used for storage or sleeping (although the staircase is the only egress). You've all convinced me to rip this thing out and not try to rehab it. My current plan is to put in a new, code compliant spiral staircase similar to this one https://www.arkestairs.com/stairs/civik-spiral-staircase-kit/. I like the ships ladder idea but I have two little ones that I wouldn't trust on it and would hate to think about some guests using it. I'll keep you all posted on how it turns out!

following...

A spiral staircase is not up to code where I live without a set of stairs on the outside for emergency like an ambulance , stretchers do not work on spiral staircases. If you do not need the space for sleeping then a ladder would be the answer.

Ben, I would think as a vacation rental, you would want to maximize the number of people the house could sleep. Removing the loft an stairs might reduce your rental potential.

Ladders are not code compliant. Secondary egress is not required in most places - check your local codes. A new spiral staircase would be your best bet to creating a safe space.

I saw the other updates you posted about the fireplace, but seeing these photos really makes everything together look so amazing. I just love what you have done.

Thanks so much @shwshw... couldn’t have done it without this group!